Jeremiah Armstead, 19, who lived most of his high school years in cars and domestic violence shelters with his family in California, is starting a new chapter as he begins his first semester of college at Fisk University.
Armstead was recently recruited to play basketball and pursue higher education.
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As a member of the Fisk University men’s basketball team, he is working with former LA Clippers basketball player Kenneth Anderson, who is the university’s head basketball coach.
Armstead’s mother, Mindy Brooks, told ABC News that her son’s good nature led him to this blessing.
“I’m not surprised Jeremiah is where he’s at today,” Brooks said. “I’m not surprised because he’s always been a good person.”
For the past three years, Armstead lived in poor conditions with his mother, brother and sister.
Armstead recalls finding out about his university acceptance while sleeping over at a friend’s house when his mother called him to share the news.
“My mom called me. ‘Jay, you just got accepted into Fisk!’ and I’m checking my email …” Armstead told ABC News.
His acceptance letter and provided class of 2026 student ID cemented the positive changes Armstead was on the brink of.
“Any type of adversity that I went through, for the most part, it motivated me and pushed me,” Armstead said, describing his feelings when receiving the ID and acceptance letter.
Armstead said he had a helpful hand in his journey to Fisk. His family, coaches, and leaders from organizations like We Educate Brilliant Minds and Sisters of Watts supported him as he juggled housing insecurity.
“I was bringing smarts, of course, but it was hard to do that being homeless and juggling everything, like domestic violence situations, just stuff like that,” he said. “Living in a shelter, living in a car–it was hard to think, go to school, worry about my mom or my brother, my sister.”
“I just want to show people that’s in my circumstances like, don’t stop,” he said. “Don’t ever think of giving up because just like that, stuff could change.”
Armstead graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School this spring and started his first semester at Fisk earlier this month studying kinesiology. Armstead’s decision to enroll in college has motivated his younger siblings to begin considering a college education.
